Door latch



Nov. 8, 1927.

c. A. WHITEHURST DOOR LATCH Filed Aug. e. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 8, 1927.

C. A. WHITEHURST DOOR LATCH Filed Auei. ej 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wuem ioz C A. mifeiluraf' I 2 2 Z I Gwen nus:

Patented N v; 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT TOFFlCE.

CALVIN A. wHITErIURs'r, or BIRMINGHAM, ALAB MA, AssIGNon on'onn riALr To, a

JOHN A. THoMrsoN, or NORTH BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA. 1

DOOR LATCH.

Application filed August 6, 1926. Serial No. 127,655." i

This invention relates to. hardware and more particularly to an improved fastener for a swinging door.

One object of the invention is to provide a fastener comprising companion members adapted to be applied to doors hingedly mounted at the rear of a vehicle body and interlock to securely but releasably hold the curely hold thedoors shut until manually.

moved to a releasing position. v

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure. 1 is a view in elevation showing the improved latch orrfastener applied to swinging doors at the rear of a vehlcle body; p

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectlonal view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

F 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1 with a modified form of latch or fastener applied to the doors; I I

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5. I

The latch or fastener has been shown applied to doors 1' and 2 which are hingedly mounted, as shown at 3, and in the presentillustration form closures for the rear end of a vehicle body, indicated in general by the numeral 4. While it is stated that the doors are employed to close the rear end of a Vehicle body, it will be understood that they could represent closure doors for a garage or other building. It will also be obvious that instead of the companion members which form the latch or fastener besecured transversely of the door by screws or other suitable fasteners 7 and has one end portion 8 projecting from the free s de edge of the door. This projected end portion of the bar 6 is of less thickness than its inner end portion which is secured I against the door and is provided with aside arm 9 having a longitudinally extending eye or slot 10 formed therein, as shown in Fig. 3. \Vhen the doorsare closed; the pro-. jected end portion of the bar 6 extends transversely across the free side portion of the door 2 and beneath the companion latch or fastener member 11 which is secured-thereon in transverse relation thereto i The companion latch member 11 is also formed of metal and consists of a bracket having a base 12 from which extends an arm 13 formed with a longitudinally extending slot -or eye 14. Thelbracket is secured against the outer face of the door 2 by screws or other suitable fasteners 15 and has its base portion provided with depending lugs or arms 16 which serve as abut- 111611138 adapted to be engaged by the proected end portion 8 of the latch bar 6' so that the outer face ofthedoor will not be marred and the arm 9 of the latch bar prevented from moving towards the door 2 beyond the proper position with respect to the arm 13, as shown in Fig. 2. A

The latch plate 17, which serves to securely but releasably hold the latch member 5 in locked engagement with thelatch member 11, is formed of metal and is pivotally mounted in the slot or eye 14 by a pivot pin 18 which passes transversely through the arm 13 adjacent the outer-end of the slot 1a.. A recess 19 is provided in the outer upper corner portion of thedatch plate and is adapted'toreceive the outer end portion of the arnilifi so that downward movement of the latch beyond the position shown in Fig. 2 will be prevented and upward movement in one direction also prevented. This latch plate is formed with a curved peripheral edge portion preferably constituting a 'segment of an ellipse, and from an inspection of Fig. 2 it will'be readily seen that the inner orforward end of the latch plate terminates in slightly spaced relation to'the inner end of the slot 14:. The latch plate maybe readily swung upwardly when the door 1 is closed and the outer end portion ofthe bar 6 engages the peripheral edge of the latch late to a releasin )osition there has been provided a prong 20 which extends upwardly above the arm 13 where it may be readily engaged by a finger of one hand. The intermediate portion of the latchplate -:is cut out, as shown at 21, to reduce its weight and permit a padlock or otner suitable fastener to be engagedwith its lower portion beneath the keeper-and. prevent the latch from being released by unauthorized persons.

In Figs. 4:, 5 and 6-, the-latch bar 22, which corresponds to. the bar 6, has one end fitting between the. ear 23 and body portion of a bracket 24 and pivotally mounted through the medium of "a rivetor other suitable fastener 25. By referring to Figs. & and .6, it will. be seen that, when the bracket 2% is secured tothe door 1 by screws or other suitable fasteners 26', the latch bar may beswung from thenormal positionshown in which it projects transversely from the door to an inoperative position. \Vhen in the operative position, the latch bar rests upon a" supporting tongue or arm 27 which projects upwardly into overlappingrelation to .its outer face and serves not only as a stop or abutment to support the latch bar butalso serves as a brace to prevent the latch bar from being [bent or broken when it strikes the depending arms or lugs '28 carried bythe bracket 29. The bracket 29 corresponds to the bracket 12 of the keeper l1 and carries an arm 30 which projects outwardly into overlying relation to the arm 31 of the latch bar 22 and is formed with an elongated eye or slot 82 with which the eye or slot 83 of the arm 31 registers, as shown in Fig. 5, when the doors are closed. A ring 8% is loosely supported in the eye or slot 32 upon a pin 35 extending transversely therein and is normally suspended in depending relation to the arm 30 so that it may fit into the eye 33 and securely hold the two arms interlocked and prevent opening of the doors. When the door 1 is sung closed, the latch ring may be swung upwardly towards the outer face of the door 2 and drops into the eye 83. It may not swing upwardly towards the outer end of the arm 30 a suflicient distance to relcase'the latch bar and, therefore, the latch bar will be held in engagement with the keeper or bracket 29 until the ring is manually pushed upwardly through the eye 33 a su'l'iicient distance to release the latch bar.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

l. A fastener comprising a bar adapted to be secured to a movable closure with a the same to fit into the eye of said bar, said latch being formed adjacent its pivot with arccess to receive the outer end portion of the bracket arm and prevent upward swinging of the latch in one direction. 7

2. A fastener comprising a bar adaptedto be secured to a movable closure with a portion projecting therefrom and provided with aside arm formed with a longitudinally extending eye, a keeper including a bracket having a base adapted to be secured to a support and an arm extending; from the base longitudinally above the arm of 'saidlbar and formed with a longitudinally extending eye, and a latch plate pivoted in the outer end portion of the eye of .said bracket and extending longitudinally, therein and of a depth to extend throughthe eye of said arm, the lower portion of said latch plate being formed with an arcuate edge. and perforated to receive a fastener and the pivoted end portion being formed with a recess adapted to receive the outer end portion of the arm of said bracket to prevent upward movement, of the latch plate in one direction to a releasing position.

3. A fastener comprising a, member adapted to be secured to movable closure with a portion projecting therefrom and provided with a side arm formed with a longitudinally extending eye, a keeper adapted to be secured to a ,supportand having an arm extending above the first-mentioned arm, and a latch pivoted to the arm of said keeper and extending below the same and of a depth to extend through the eye of the firstrmentioned arm, the lower portion of said latch being formed with an the keeper'arm to prevent upward move bracket having a base adapted to be secured to-a support and an armextending from the base longitudinally above the arm of said bar and formed with a longitudinally extending eye, a latch plate pivoted in the outer end portion of the eye of said bracket and extending longitudinally therein and of a depth to extend through the eye of said arm, the lower portion of said latch plate being formed with an arcuate edge and perforated to receive a fastener and the pivoted end portion being formed with a recess adapted to receive the outer end portion of the arm of said bracket to prevent upward movement of the latch plate in one direction to a releasing position, and a prong extending upwardly from the latch plate above the arm of said bracket to facilitate upward swinging of the latch plate in an opposite direction to a releasing position.

bracket 5. A fastener comprising a adapted to be secured upon a movable closure, a bar pivoted to said bracket and having a portion adapted to project from the closure and provided with a side arm formed with a longitudinally extending eye, a lug extending from said bracket and adapted to engage beneath said bar to support the bar in a horizontal operative position, and a keeper including a bracket adapted to be secured to a support and in cluding an arm formed with an eye, and a latch pivoted in the eye of said keeper bracket and adapted to fit into the eye of said bar.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CALVIN A. XVHITEHURST. [n s.] 

